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What Happens If You Stop Praying For Your Enemies - Christianity Etc - Nairaland

Nairaland ForumNairaland GeneralChristianity EtcWhat Happens If You Stop Praying For Your Enemies (563 Views)

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What Happens If You Stop Praying For Your Enemies by emonkey(op): 5:06pm On Jan 20, 2020
The bible says we should pray for our enemies and people who hate us. Supposing there is a relation who doesn't like you but you pray for him every day without fail anyway because the bible says so. But the more you pray for him the more his hatred for you increases. If you now decide to stop praying for him and try to shut him out of your mind because you don't want to be unhappy about the situation anymore , have you sinned ?
Re: What Happens If You Stop Praying For Your Enemies by Nobody: 8:55pm On Jan 20, 2020
Yours is to pray and not to monitor his actions and inactions towards you.
Do your part and leave God to work on him.

emonkey:
The bible says we should pray for our enemies and people who hate us. Supposing there is a relation who doesn't like you but you pray for him every day without fail anyway because the bible says so. But the more you pray for him the more his hatred for you increases. If you now decide to stop praying for him and try to shut him out of your mind because you don't want to be unhappy about the situation anymore , have you sinned ?
Re: What Happens If You Stop Praying For Your Enemies by Nobody: 9:15pm On Jan 20, 2020
emonkey:
The bible says we should pray for our enemies and people who hate us. Supposing there is a relation who doesn't like you but you pray for him every day without fail anyway because the bible says so. But the more you pray for him the more his hatred for you increases. If you now decide to stop praying for him and try to shut him out of your mind because you don't want to be unhappy about the situation anymore , have you sinned ?
Same thing happening to me since decades. I have a senior brother who hates me with passion. He spread all manner of evil about me in the extended family and once in a while I get to hear about it. I pray for him daily and I have not stopped praying for him and his kids.

I am waiting to see what God will do to compensate me because it is not easy praying for someone who wishes you evil.

My advice is continue praying for them and leave them for God to deal with.
Re: What Happens If You Stop Praying For Your Enemies by Eviana(f): 10:45pm On Jan 20, 2020
emonkey:
The bible says we should pray for our enemies and people who hate us. Supposing there is a relation who doesn't like you but you pray for him every day without fail anyway because the bible says so. But the more you pray for him the more his hatred for you increases. If you now decide to stop praying for him and try to shut him out of your mind because you don't want to be unhappy about the situation anymore , have you sinned ?
Do you know that praying for them is almost more beneficial for you than it is them?
God commands us to do so (Matt. 5:44 KJV) because it eventually changes OUR (hurt, angry, saddened, bitter etc.,) HEARTS towards them to genuine love, empathy & desire for them to experience Jesus' & let Him transform them.
If you are having trouble "wanting to even pray for him", tell the Lord. Be honest & ask Him to change your heart..
It has to start with you...and sometimes it can be a long process.
If you don't do the above, then you won't have peace. Enemies continue living their lives while you have no peace and are stuck. God would want you to continue praying for him, regardless of how he is behaving. Who knows what change could take place?
Blessings come when we are obedient to Him.
Re: What Happens If You Stop Praying For Your Enemies by emonkey(op): 6:52am On Jan 21, 2020
But what if you have this feeling that continuing to pray for the person is like adding more fuel to the fire. And after you stopped praying for him and put him out of mind, because he lives abroad anyway and you only meet once a year, you feel at peace ?

The Bible also says you should shake off the sands of the home of a persistent sinner from your feet.
Re: What Happens If You Stop Praying For Your Enemies by nlPoster:
emonkey:
The bible says we should pray for our enemies and people who hate us. Supposing there is a relation (or somebody) who doesn't like you but you pray for him every day without fail anyway because the bible says so. But the more you pray for him the more his hatred for you increases. If you now decide to stop praying for him and try to shut him out of your mind because you don't want to be unhappy about the situation anymore , have you sinned ?
No you haven't.

But if their unforgiveness still bothers you, try talking to the person and offer an apology for the perceived offence/s. Make restitution if applicable.

If they continue to hold grudges and malice, it's no longer in your hands because you've done what you can.

You control your own reactions, not other people's.
Re: What Happens If You Stop Praying For Your Enemies by Eviana(f):
emonkey:
But what if you have this feeling that continuing to pray for the person is like adding more fuel to the fire. And after you stopped praying for him and put him out of mind, because he lives abroad anyway and you only meet once a year, you feel at peace ?

The Bible also says you should shake off the sands of the home of a persistent sinner from your feet.
Are you really at peace?
Be brutally honest with yourself.
The mere fact that you asked the question here means that you are not settled...and that is ok.
God only knows exactly your heart.
Praying for anyone (if done with pure motives) can never be a "wrong" practice or something that can make a situation worse.
If you are wanting to stop, it's because of someting going on within you.
Remember, God never forces anyone to change.
Sincere prayer is so key to forgiveness & healing...which is why I am stressing it so much.
The Lord won't force, but He can soften hearts to be able to receive.
Or (when the time is right), create a circumstance where the person(s) offended may be open to dialogue.
Remember the word "may".
Regardless of the person's choice, you are commanded to "pray" for him/her.
Doesn't mean you have to allow the person back in your life or allow toxicity to occupy your space.
Is it possible that beneath the surface of your desire to stop praying may be resentment or unforgiveness towards your enemy?
If so, you must pray for a forgiving heart..
That will motivate you enough to keep the offender on your prayer list because you truly want him/her to surrender to God.
Unforgiveness is a pretty high offense on the Lord's list of character flaws.

Matthew 6:14-15 (KJV)

14For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father
will also forgive you:

15But if ye forgive NOT men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

If a person can't forgive the enemy, then he/she can't pray for the enemy.

So think about this. If Christ ONLY has the power to forgive sin (of which He died for), and He tells you the consequence of not forgiving...
Well I will let that marinate.
Sometimes it's very important to go deeper than just the surface.

Matthew 5:44 (KJV)
44..."Love your enemies..."
..."pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."
Re: What Happens If You Stop Praying For Your Enemies by nlPoster: 11:22pm On Jan 21, 2020
What Jesus was asked was how many times should you forgive someone who offends you.

Jesus replied, seventy times seven.

The question did not arise of how many times should you pray for someone who offends you (in this case by their unforgiveness).

So, forgive the person for their undying hatred, and move on. Especially since you said the more you pray for them, the more their hatred of you increases.
Re: What Happens If You Stop Praying For Your Enemies by emonkey(op):
nlPoster:
What Jesus was asked was how many times should you forgive someone who offends you.

Jesus replied, seventy times seven.

The question did not arise of how many times should you pray for someone who offends you (in this case by their unforgiveness).

So, forgive the person for their undying hatred, and move on. Especially since you said the more you pray for them, the more their hatred of you increases.
Very true. You have forgiven the person for his hatred. You have even prayed to God to forgive you for anything you may have done in error. Regardless of every attempt to contact the person both personally, email and any other means always end in disaster and you can even feel the hatred in his writing. So, how do you ask how to make amends?
It is like continuing to pray for him is like giving him more strength to make you more unhappy. This is why shutting him out of mind becomes so relieving, because of the feeling of inadequacy the alternative option is weighing your life down with. I think Shutting him out of your prayer and thoughts is the route to remain sane and useful to yourself and your own family.
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